diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device-factory.c b/src/devices/nm-device-factory.c
index b2c9050a7a..ddf798dfc1 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device-factory.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device-factory.c
@@ -162,14 +162,8 @@ get_connection_iface (NMDeviceFactory *factory,
                       NMConnection *connection,
                       const char *parent_iface)
 {
-	const char *iface;
-
-	/* For any other virtual connection, NMSettingConnection:interface-name is
-	 * the virtual device name.
-	 */
-	iface = nm_connection_get_interface_name (connection);
-	g_return_val_if_fail (iface != NULL, NULL);
-	return g_strdup (iface);
+	/* Default to just using NMSettingConnection:interface-name  */
+	return g_strdup (nm_connection_get_interface_name (connection));
 }
 
 char *
@@ -184,20 +178,11 @@ nm_device_factory_get_connection_iface (NMDeviceFactory *factory,
 	g_return_val_if_fail (connection != NULL, NULL);
 	g_return_val_if_fail (!error || !*error, NULL);
 
-	if (!nm_connection_is_virtual (connection)) {
-		g_set_error (error,
-		             NM_MANAGER_ERROR,
-		             NM_MANAGER_ERROR_FAILED,
-		             "failed to determine virtual interface name: connection type '%s' is not a software device",
-		             nm_connection_get_connection_type (connection));
-		return NULL;
-	}
-
 	if (!NM_DEVICE_FACTORY_GET_INTERFACE (factory)->get_connection_iface) {
 		g_set_error (error,
 		             NM_MANAGER_ERROR,
 		             NM_MANAGER_ERROR_FAILED,
-		             "failed to determine virtual interface name: cannot generate name for %s",
+		             "failed to determine interface name: cannot determine name for %s",
 		             nm_connection_get_connection_type (connection));
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -207,7 +192,7 @@ nm_device_factory_get_connection_iface (NMDeviceFactory *factory,
 		g_set_error (error,
 		             NM_MANAGER_ERROR,
 		             NM_MANAGER_ERROR_FAILED,
-		             "failed to determine virtual interface name: error generating name for %s",
+		             "failed to determine interface name: error determine name for %s",
 		             nm_connection_get_connection_type (connection));
 		return NULL;
 	}
@@ -216,7 +201,7 @@ nm_device_factory_get_connection_iface (NMDeviceFactory *factory,
 		g_set_error (error,
 		             NM_MANAGER_ERROR,
 		             NM_MANAGER_ERROR_FAILED,
-		             "failed to determine virtual interface name: invalid name \"%s\" generated",
+		             "failed to determine interface name: name \"%s\" is invalid",
 		             ifname);
 		g_free (ifname);
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device-factory.h b/src/devices/nm-device-factory.h
index 4cd12e12ad..ae78968a42 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device-factory.h
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device-factory.h
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ typedef struct {
 	/**
 	 * get_connection_iface:
 	 * @factory: the #NMDeviceFactory
-	 * @connection: the #NMConnection to return the virtual interface name for
-	 * @parent_iface: parent interface name
+	 * @connection: the #NMConnection to return the interface name for
+	 * @parent_iface: optional parent interface name for virtual devices
 	 *
 	 * Given a connection, returns the interface name that a device activating
 	 * that connection would have.